[A prospective study of clinical characteristics of fever after flexible fiberoptic bronchoscopy].

OBJECTIVE

To assess the incidence and clinical characteristics of fever after fiberoptic bronchoscopy (FOB).

METHODS

Between May 2004 and April 2005, the clinical characteristics of fever in immunocompetent and hospitalized patients undergoing FOB were prospectively studied.

RESULTS

One hundred and seventy-two hospitalized patients underwent FOB in this period, and 37 cases (22%) developed fever following FOB; in 32 (19%) the fever subsided within 24 h with a mean fever onset time of (3.5 +/- 1.7) h and mean fever duration of (10.8 +/- 6.7) h. There were significant increases in total leukocyte and neutrophil counts in the peripheral blood at 6 h after FOB compared to levels prior to FOB (all P < 0.01), but the numbers of leukocytes and neutrophils in patients with fever were significantly higher than those in patients without fever (all P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Fever after FOB occurs relatively frequently but transiently in immunocompetent adults. No special treatment is needed.